Andre Iguodala Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Warriors Notes: Durant, Iguodala, Cousins, Green

June 1st, 2019 at 4:23pm CST by Arthur Hill

Kevin Durant‘s return date remains uncertain, but he’s finding other ways to help the Warriors during their playoff run, writes Mark Medina of The San Jose Mercury News. Durant made a brief appearance at today’s practice before undergoing treatment for his strained left calf. He has already been ruled out of Sunday’s Game 2, which will mark the seventh straight contest he will miss because of the injury.

Durant has adopted a greater role behind the scenes and has been vocal during film sessions. He spent time talking with Quinn Cook, Jordan Bell and Damion Lee during today’s workout.

“His presence is becoming more and more evident and becoming more and more normal,” Draymond Green said. “It obviously means a lot. When you’re talking about a guy like Kevin and a talent like that, he comes from a different view. He sees the game from a different perspective. It’s always good to get that perspective and try to incorporate what people are doing.”

There’s more Warriors news to pass along:

Andre Iguodala confirmed today that he will be ready for Game 2, relays Steven Loung of Sportsnet. Iguodala had an MRI Friday on his left leg after experiencing pain late in the series opener. He didn’t say how close he feels to 100%, but the Warriors need him to help contain Raptors star Kawhi Leonard. “It’s always difficult going up against top players,” Iguodala said. “You’ve gotta be locked in mentally, physically. It’s just part of the game, though. … If you’re injured or you’ve got pain, you just play through it and just try to help the team win.”
DeMarcus Cousins talks to James Ham of NBC Sports Bay Area about the rehab process that enabled him to get back on the court six weeks after an apparent season-ending quad injury. “Once I kind of started to the doctors, they gave me a little more knowledge on everything that was going on with injury and the usual timeframe,” Cousins said. “My first week I sat in a hyperbaric chamber for a week straight like two or three hours a day. That was my first week just to speed up the whole process of healing and things of that nature.” Coach Steve Kerr said Cousins didn’t experience any pain after playing eight minutes in Game 1, according to a tweet from Medina.
Green had an unlikely dinner companion Friday night, according to Logan Murdock of NBC Sports Bay Area. Raptors fan Drake, who had a verbal exchange with Green after Game 1, joined him and Alfonzo McKinnie at a Toronto restaurant.

Pacific Notes: Iguodala, Vucevic, Culver, Jackson

May 31st, 2019 at 8:30pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Andre Iguodala underwent an MRI on his left leg on Friday which revealed no structural damage and he is expected to play in Game 2 of the Finals, Anthony Slater of The Athletic tweets. The Warriors swingman experienced left calf tightness in the late going of Game 1, the same injury that caused him to miss a game in the conference finals.

We have more from the Pacific Division:

The Kings are interested in Magic free agent center Nikola Vucevic, John Gambadoro of Arizona Sports 98.7 tweets. This reiterates a previous Athletic report in late March that revealed Sacramento’s desire to sign Vucevic.
In their first individual workout, the Lakers will bring in Texas Tech shooting guard Jarrett Culver on Saturday as they begin examining Top 10 prospects, according to Joey Ramirez of the team’s website. The Lakers own the No. 4 pick and the 6’5” Culver, the Big 12 Player of the Year, is currently ranked No. 6 by ESPN’s Jonathan Givony.
Suns forward Josh Jackson has a minor foot injury, Gina Mizell of The Athletic tweets. Jackson was spotted in a soft cast and on crutches Friday at the arena. GM James Jones told Mizell that Jackson tweaked his foot and that the cast is precautionary.

Warriors Notes: Iguodala, Cook, Finals, Bogut

May 26th, 2019 at 10:21am CST by Arthur Hill

The Warriors have injury concerns heading into the NBA Finals, but Andre Iguodala doesn’t expect to be among them. The 35-year-old defensive specialist has missed practice the past three days to rest a sore left calf, but he tells Mark Medina of The San Jose Mercury News that he expects to be ready when the series opens Thursday.

“Just a lot of minutes and overuse. I’m old,” he said. “It just flared up real quick, but we have a good training staff. When you’ve been playing for five long seasons, it’s bound to come up. … My career is almost over, anyway. So I don’t really care.”

Iguodala wasn’t completely serious about the last part, as he has speculated about playing beyond the end of his current contract, which runs through next season. Head coach Steve Kerr has lightened the workload for his veteran forward, who had a non-invasive procedure on his left leg over the summer after being injured during last year’s playoffs.

There’s more Warriors news this morning:

Backup guard Quinn Cook has been able to succeed because he has a coach who understands his situation, Medina writes in a separate story. Kerr played the same role with the Bulls’ title teams in the 1990s and appreciates how difficult it is to stay sharp during long stretches on the bench. “There’s a real trick to maintaining confidence level, conditioning level, your rhythm, your timing through all those times you’re not in the rotation. It’s a very hard job,” Kerr said. “If you can do it you’ve got a place in the league for a long time because coaches really value that.”
This will be first NBA Finals with a greater focus on what happens in July rather than June, notes Sean Deveney of The Sporting News. No matter who wins, the series will play out against a background of upcoming free agent decisions for the Warriors’ Kevin Durant and the Raptors’ Kawhi Leonard.
Andrew Bogut is defending Durant amid negative fan reaction on social media, Medina tweets. “People criticize him for it bothering him,” Bogut said. “You know, he’s a human being just like anyone else, and I think he has a right to put comments forward, and he has a right to sign where he wants as a free agent. The whole point of free agency is the first word is ‘free,’ so if he wants to sign wherever he want to sign, it’s his decision.”

Kevin Durant Addresses Injury, Value To Team

May 24th, 2019 at 6:55pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Kevin Durant isn’t sure when he’ll return from his calf injury but he is sure that the Warriors are better with him in the lineup. Durant addressed those topics while meeting the media, including ESPN’s Nick Friedell, on Friday.

Durant noted that while he’s showing steady improvement, the right calf strain he suffered in Game 5 against the Rockets in the conference semifinals still needs time to heal. Durant has not been cleared for on-court work. He’s doubtful to play in Game 1 of the Finals on Thursday.

“I’m just taking it a second at a time,” Durant said. “Every rep we do in the weight room, I just try to focus on that rep and not try to think too far down the line. ‘Cause I don’t really know too much about this injury. I’m leaving it the hands of the team doctors. I trust the direction they’re trying to put me in.”

Durent initially feared he tore his Achilles, the same injury teammate DeMarcus Cousins suffered last season with the Pelicans.

“I pushed off to run down court and I felt somebody trip me up,” Durant said, according to an NBA.com post. “First thing that came to mind, ‘Boogie (Cousins) said, Kobe (Bryant) said…’ that it felt like somebody kicked them (after they tore Achilles tendons). So the first thing in my mind was to slow down and process what happened. Then I started walking, and I could put weight on it, and it wasn’t as bad as I thought.”

The Warriors have won all five playoff games with Durant out of action, prompting many observers to say the team is better off without the impending free agent and more fun to watch. Durant has heard the talk and says it’s not factual.

“I felt like my teammates and the organization know exactly what I’ve done here off and on the court to become a part of this culture, stamp my flag in this culture and this organization. … I know what I bring to the team, but I also know a lot of people on the outside don’t like to see us together, and I get it,” he said.

Warriors owner Joe Lacob has repeatedly said he’ll do whatever it takes to keep the core group together this offseason, including Durant.

Forward Andre Iguodala (calf), who missed Game 4 against Portland, and Cousins (quad), who has been since the opening round, are closer to returning. Both participated in a full team scrimmage on Friday without restrictions on contact or playing time.

MRI Negative On Andre Iguodala’s Left Calf

May 19th, 2019 at 1:23pm CST by Arthur Hill

1:23pm: Per Chris Haynes of Yahoo Sports, the results of Andre Iguodala’s MRI came back negative. He is questionable for Game 4 in Portland, adds Anthony Slater of The Athletic.

9:02am: The Warriors could have a third member of their rotation sidelined as they try to wrap up a fifth straight Western Conference title, according to Nick Friedell of ESPN. Andre Iguodala will have an MRI today on an injured left calf that limited him to 17 minutes last night and caused him to miss the entire fourth quarter.

“He was sore,” Warriors head coach Steve Kerr told reporters after the Game 3 victory. “Lower leg, just had some soreness. He’s going to get an MRI tomorrow. We didn’t want to risk anything and put him back in the game. So, when we took him out mid-third, trainer said that’ll be it for him. We’ll know more tomorrow.”

Iguodala was pulled from the game in the first quarter to have the leg examined. He was able to return for a while before the Warriors decided to sit him for the rest of the night. Iguodala was favoring the leg somewhat after the game, Friedell adds, but didn’t seem worried about the injury

The 35-year-old swingman has started nine of the Warriors’ 15 games this postseason and is averaging 30.2 minutes per night. He is posting a 10.6/4.2/4.1 line and is taking on the toughest defensive matchups. Kerr limited him to a career-low 23.2 minutes per game during the regular season to make sure he was rested heading into the playoffs.

Golden State has a chance to sweep the series with Portland tomorrow, which would create a nine-day window for Iguodala, Kevin Durant and DeMarcus Cousins to recover before the start of the NBA Finals.

“We won’t talk about anything other than Game 4,” Kerr said. “What’s after that doesn’t matter, maybe game 5, maybe game 6. So, we just focus on the next game ahead of us. We’ve got some guys banged up, but we’ve done a really good job. I’m really proud of this group for playing through a number of injuries we’ve had. It’s a remarkable group to continue to press and play at this level without so many key guys, so I’m very proud of them.”

Warriors Notes: Thompson, Durant, Iguodala, Cousins

May 8th, 2019 at 8:36pm CST by Arthur Hill

Speculation over Kevin Durant‘s future has been hounding the Warriors for months, but Klay Thompson‘s upcoming free agency is being almost overlooked, writes Nick Friedell of ESPN. Thompson will also be unrestricted this summer, but he is expected to re-sign with the organization. He has said publicly that he expects a max contract, which would pay him $188MM over five years or $221MM in a super-max deal if he makes an all-NBA team.

“The media, I think, give him a little bit of a break as far as over-speculating and throwing him into the fire because he hasn’t really fueled it — at all,” teammate Andrew Bogut said. “You’ve never heard him say anything bad about wanting to leave here or going to another team or being the No. 1 option. You’ve never even heard that off the record. Some players say the right thing publicly but have different feelings [in private]. He completely wants to be here and he gets it that this is a very rare situation.”

Re-signing Thompson would give the Warriors a measure of stability heading forward, regardless of what happens with Durant. He has been part of the Warriors’ core over the five years that they have been elite and ranks second only to LeBron James in the number of playoff games in that span.

“I think Klay sort of ties it all together in a lot of ways,” head coach Steve Kerr said. “There’s not one person in this organization who would ever question Klay’s agenda or motives.”

There’s more Warriors news to pass along:

Knicks fans shouldn’t start the Durant celebration just yet, according to Marc Berman of The New York Post, who talked to Marcus Thompson II, author of a new book titled, “KD: Kevin Durant’s Relentless Pursuit to Be The Greatest.” Thompson acknowledges that the Knicks will be strong contenders, but he believes Golden State’s chances of keeping Durant have improved.
Andre Iguodala and Shaun Livingston have both been cleared to play in tonight’s Game 5, tweets Anthony Slater of The Athletic. The Warriors were upset about how Iguodala got hurt at the end of Monday’s game, accusing Chris Paul of intentionally clipping his knee from behind on a rebound, according to Mark Medina of The San Jose Mercury News. Livingston has been dealing with a sore left hip.
DeMarcus Cousins was jogging and putting up 3-point shots in a workout this afternoon, relays Dalton Johnson of NBC Sports Bay Area. Cousins is determined to overcome a quad injury and return to action before the postseason is over.

Warriors Notes: Looney, Durant, Iguodala, Curry

May 4th, 2019 at 7:33pm CST by Arthur Hill

Kevon Looney can expect salary offers in the $3-$5MM range when he becomes a free agent this summer, according to sources who spoke to Ethan Strauss of The Athletic. Looney became the Warriors‘ most reliable center in his fourth NBA season, averaging career highs with 6.3 points and 5.2 rebounds in 80 games.

Golden State has the league’s highest payroll, but Looney may have made himself too valuable to part with, Strauss adds. He’s only 23 and could be the starting center of the future, considering the uncertainty surrounding DeMarcus Cousins. Looney has expressed a desire to play in the Chase Center when it opens next season, and there won’t be any cap-related roadblocks because the team owns his Bird Rights.

There’s more Warriors news to pass along:

Kevin Durant has a major free agency decision to make in less than two months, but it’s not distracting him during the playoffs, writes Steve Popper of Newsday. Durant has been on a scoring tear through the first two rounds of the postseason as he tries to lead the Warriors to their third straight championship since he arrived. “It’s just fun being out there,” he said when asked about playoff pressure. “What’s the worst that can happen to either team? We both lose and we got another game. One team loses, we play another game. I think once everybody looks at it in more of a wider view of things, I don’t think it’s that much pressure.”
There were concerns that Andre Iguodala might have been overpaid when he signed his current contract, but the Warriors are happy to have him for $16MM this season and $17.18MM next year, relays Anthony Slater of The Athletic. Iguodala averaged 5.7 points and 3.7 rebounds in 68 games this season, career lows in both categories, but the team considers him to be invaluable in the playoffs. “Are we overpaying statistically? Probably,” coach Steve Kerr said. “Are we overpaying in terms of his value on winning a championship? Hell, no. Can you imagine us without him? No. He’s been worth every penny and more.”
Not much has gone wrong for the Warriors so far in the conference semifinals, but Stephen Curry‘s foul problems have been a concern, notes Martin Rogers of USA Today. Curry has gotten into early foul trouble in the first two games, finishing with five each time, which affects Kerr’s planned rotations.

Warriors Notes: Kerr, Durant, Green, Iguodala

April 27th, 2019 at 8:03pm CST by Arthur Hill

Warriors coach Steve Kerr is calling for a change in the rule that imposes an automatic one-game suspension on any player who receives seven technical fouls in the playoffs, relays Tim MacMahon of ESPN. The penalty is significant for the Warriors because Kevin Durant and Draymond Green were among the league leaders in technicals during the regular season.

“I will never understand the rule that everybody falls under the exact same category, in terms of whether you lose in four games in the first round or you play 25 games and you go to the Finals, that it’s the same technical fouls points that lead to a suspension,” Kerr said. “It seems strange. But I do know that Kevin and Draymond have a good feel for when they reach that number. They generally are able to shut that off, shut that emotion off and stay on the floor. That’s going to be important.”

Green and Durant each picked up two T’s in the first-round series with the Clippers. Both of Durant’s came in the opening game, which got him ejected, while another technical in Game 3 was rescinded. Golden State is hoping the league will also rescind a technical foul Green received last night.

“He ran over to [referee David Guthrie] and said, ‘Tell me what I have to do to defend that better,’ and he got a T,” Kerr explained. “I was surprised. We’ll see what happens, but we’ve got to understand that we’ve got to be on alert, because the rules are the rules in terms of the suspensions and all that stuff.”

There’s more Warriors news to pass along:

Durant tells Anthony Slater of The Athletic that the key to finishing off the Clippers was to block out distractions. After giving up a 31-point lead in a Game 2 loss, Durant averaged better than 40 PPG for the rest of the series. “There’s a lot of speculation about me, about my attitude, about where I’m playing next season that a lot of these (media) dudes in here are trying to distract us with and then want to blame it on me because it’s easy to blame it on me,” Durant said. “I understand that. We understand that. So for us, we just made it about basketball.”
Durant has established himself as the best player in the league and should stay with the Warriors to see how many titles he can win, contends Eric Pincus of Bleacher Report.
Andre Iguodala‘s value as a playoff defender convinced the Warriors to give him a three-year, $48MM contract when he was a free agent in 2017, writes Monte Poole of NBC Sports Bay Area. After Golden State made an original offer of $36MM, Iguodala had discussions with the Spurs, Lakers, Kings and Rockets before owner Joe Lacob approved the larger deal.

Pacific Notes: McGruder, Suns, Iguodala, Green

April 21st, 2019 at 8:11pm CST by JD Shaw

Clippers forward Rodney McGruder is getting a unique perspective of the playoffs due to his ineligibility to play, Andrew Greif of the Los Angeles Times writes.

McGruder, 27, was claimed by the Clippers after being waived by Miami earlier in the month. Because he was released after March 1, NBA rules prohibit him from playing in the postseason — causing him to participate in practice and watch games from the sidelines.

“They welcomed me like no other,” McGruder said of the Clippers. “They made me feel welcome, and it’s been a great experience just getting to meet the guys and see how everything works around here. It’s basically like a recruiting visit.”

Los Angeles respected the grit and determination McGruder has played with in his short professional career, believing in his ability and bringing him on board.

“You play against people, they leave an impression,” teammate Patrick Beverley said of McGruder. “The impression he left on us is he plays extremely hard.”

The Clippers can extend a qualifying offer to McGruder by June 29 and allow him to enter restricted free agency, though it’s unclear where their plans stand ahead of the offseason.

There’s more out of the Pacific Division today:

Sam Vecenie of The Athletic examines the Suns’ offseason and potential draft options, noting that several sources around the NBA believe Phoenix may prefer to end up with Ja Morant rather than Zion Williamson. Suns general manager James Jones, according to Vecenie, is enamored with Morant’s playing abilities — coupled with the fact that his team needs a point guard.
Warriors coach Steve Kerr agrees with Andre Iguodala that he could play beyond his current contract, which is set to expire at the end of next season, as relayed by Mark Medina of The Mercury News. “I think he can play beyond this contract, if he really wants,” Kerr said. “He may not want to be. He may just want to go to the golf course and call it a career. But he can keep playing if he wants.” Iguodala, the 2015 NBA Finals MVP, has averaged 5.7 points, 3.7 rebounds and 3.2 assists in a career-low 23.2 minutes per game this season.
The playoffs could be a prime chance for Draymond Green to raise his value ahead of potential contract extension talks with the Warriors this summer, Connor Letourneau of the San Francisco Chronicle writes. When asked if he could use the playoffs as an opportunity to boost his value entering any potential negotiations, Green said, “Not at all. No, I can’t negotiate any contract right now, so I’ll be damned if I’m going to stress myself out trying to negotiate it in my head. It makes no sense. It’s a waste of time and energy.”

Warriors Notes: Iguodala, Green, Durant

April 20th, 2019 at 7:34pm CST by Arthur Hill

Andre Iguodala believes he can play past his current contract, which expires at the end of next season, but he’ll only do it if the price is right, relays Mark Medina of The San Jose Mercury News. Iguodala will be 36 years old when his $17.18MM deal is up next summer, and he has no doubts about his ability to remain in the league.

“Yeah I can easily,” he said. “But it’s going to cost you.” Iguodala refused to name a dollar amount, but added, “For whoever wants me to play, I ain’t playing to play. I’m playing to help my guys. It’s got to be worth my time. … Depending on what the salary cap is. What is the team, coach, ownership as well as the stakeholders?”

Coming off a non-invasive procedure on his left leg during the offseason, Iguodala played in 71 games, even though his minutes were limited to a career-low 23.2 per night. A vegan diet has helped to prolong his career, along with weight training, meditation, yoga and icing.

There’s more Warriors news to pass along:

Draymond Green responded to a February request to improve his conditioning by losing 23 pounds, according to Marcus Thompson II of The Athletic. Green already had a plan in place when GM Bob Myers approached him about the issue. “I knew I wasn’t in good shape,” Green said. “But I also know if anybody knows how to get in shape and get in shape quick, I know how. I’ve been doing it all my life.” He added that a toe injury and a sore knee contributed to his conditioning problems. He took motivation not only from the approaching postseason, but the knowledge that he is eligible for a contract extension this summer and the negative reaction from some Golden State fans after his early-season altercation with Kevin Durant.
Technical fouls called against Durant and the Clippers’ JaMychal Green during Game 3 of their series have been rescinded by the league, The Associated Press reports. The news is especially significant for Durant, who picked up two technicals in the series opener and faces an automatic one-game suspension if he reaches seven.
Facing a rare 12:30pm (Pacific Time) start tomorrow, the Warriors insist the L.A. nightlife won’t interfere with their preparations for the game, Medina writes in a separate story.